Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Compendium of Strategies
Urban Heat Island Basics
Acknowledgements
Reducing Urban Heat Islands: Compendium of Strategies describes the
causes and impacts of summertime urban heat islands and promotes
strategies for lowering temperatures in U.S. communities. This compendium
was developed by the Climate Protection Partnership Division in the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Atmospheric Programs. Eva
Wong managed its overall development. Kathleen Hogan, Julie Rosenberg,
and Andrea Denny provided editorial support. Numerous EPA staff in
offices throughout the Agency contributed content and provided reviews.
Subject area experts from other organizations around the United States and
Canada also committed their time to provide technical feedback.
Hashem Akbari, Ryan Bell, Tony Brazel, David Cole, Maury Estes, Gordon
Heisler, David Hitchcock, Brenda Johnson, Megan Lewis, Greg McPherson,
Tim Oke, Danny Parker, Alan Perrin, Joyce Rosenthal, David Sailor, Jason
Samenow, Haider Taha, James Voogt, Darrell Winner, Kathy Wolf, and Barry
Zalph.
Contents
Urban Heat Island Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1. What Are Urban Heat Islands?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
5. Additional Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Endnotes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Urban Heat Island Basics
A
s urban areas develop, changes occur in the landscape. Buildings, roads, and other
infrastructure replace open land and vegetation. Surfaces that were once perme-
able and moist generally become impermeable and dry.* This development leads to
the formation of urban heat islands—the phenomenon whereby urban regions experience
warmer temperatures than their rural surroundings.
This chapter provides an overview of different types of urban heat islands, methods for
identifying them, and factors that contribute to their development. It introduces key con-
cepts that are important to understanding and mitigating this phenomenon, as well as ad-
ditional sources of information. It discusses:
This chapter focuses on surface and atmospheric urban heat islands. These two heat island
types differ in the ways they are formed, the techniques used to identify and measure
them, their impacts, and to some degree, the methods available to mitigate them. Table 1
summarizes the basic characteristics of each type of heat island. These features are de-
scribed in more detail in the following sections of this chapter.
* This change in landscape may differ in regions such as deserts, where moisture may increase in urban areas if development introduces grass lawns and
other irrigated vegetation.
n Mobile traverses
DAY
NIGHT
Rural Suburban Pond Warehouse Urban Downtown Urban Park Suburban Rural
or Industrial Residential Residential
Surface and atmospheric temperatures vary over different land use areas. Surface
temperatures vary more than air temperatures during the day, but they both are fairly similar
at night. The dip and spike in surface temperatures over the pond show how water maintains
a fairly constant temperature day and night, due to its high heat capacity.
* Note: The temperatures displayed above do not represent absolute temperature values or
any one particular measured heat island. Temperatures will fluctuate based on factors such as
seasons, weather conditions, sun intensity, and ground cover.
+2
+1
+
+3 4
+3
Wind
+3 +6
+3 Park +2 +1
+1 +2 +5 +5
+4 +2
+1 +2
This conceptual map with overlaid isotherms (lines of equal air temperature)
exhibits a fully developed nighttime atmospheric urban heat island. The
dotted red line indicates a traverse along which measurements are taken.
Modified from the Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group (FISRWG)
Figure 5: Impervious Surfaces and Reduced Evapotranspiration
40% evapotranspiration
30% evapotranspiration
10% runoff
55% runoff
10% shallow
5% deep 25% shallow
infiltration
infiltration infiltration 25% deep
infiltration
Highly developed urban areas (right), which are characterized by 75%-100% impervious surfaces, have less surface
moisture available for evapotranspiration than natural ground cover, which has less than 10% impervious cover (left).
This characteristic contributes to higher surface and air temperatures in urban areas.
0.80
0.70
0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.00
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600
Wavelength
Solar energy intensity varies over wavelengths from about(nanometers)
250 to 2500 nanometers.
Additional Factors
• Weather: Certain conditions, such as clear skies and calm winds, can foster urban heat island formation.
• Geographic location: Proximity to large water bodies and mountainous terrain can influence local wind patterns
and urban heat island formation.
* Although communities currently can lower anthropogenic heat emissions through energy efficiency technologies
in the building and vehicle sectors, this compendium focuses on modifying vegetative cover and surface properties
of urban materials, as they have long been regarded as urban heat island reduction strategies. An emerging body
of literature on the role waste heat plays in urban heat island formation, though, may lead communities to focus on
anthropogenic heat in the near future.
Short-wave radiation
Sensible heat
Long-wave radiation
Anthropogenic heat
Adapted from David Sailor
Latent heat
Thermal storage
* This change in landscape may differ in regions such as deserts, where moisture may increase in
urban areas if development introduces grass lawns and other irrigated vegetation.
The effects of urban geometry on urban heat by totaling all the energy used for heating
islands are often described through the “sky and cooling, running appliances, transpor-
view factor” (SVF), which is the visible area tation, and industrial processes. Anthro-
of the sky from a given point on a surface. pogenic heat varies by urban activity and
For example, an open parking lot or field that infrastructure, with more energy-intensive
has few obstructions would have a large SVF buildings and transportation producing
value (closer to 1). Conversely, an urban can- more heat.12 Anthropogenic heat typically
yon in a downtown area that is surrounded is not a concern in rural areas and during
by closely spaced, tall buildings, would have a the summer. In the winter, though, and
low SVF value (closer to zero), as there would year round in dense, urban areas, anthro-
only be a small visible area of the sky. pogenic heat can significantly contribute to
heat island formation.
2.4 Anthropogenic Heat
Anthropogenic heat contributes to atmo- 2.5 Additional Factors
spheric heat islands and refers to heat Weather and location strongly influence
produced by human activities. It can come urban heat island formation. While commu-
from a variety of sources and is estimated nities have little control over these factors,
1000
800
600
200
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
(-18) (-7) (4) (16) (27) (38) (49)
Maximum Daily Temp ºF (ºC)
As shown in this example from New Orleans, electrical load can increase steadily once
temperatures begin to exceed about 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C). Other areas of the country show
similar demand curves as temperature increases.
3.2 Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases are equal—such as the level of precursor
As discussed in Section 3.1, higher tempera- emissions or wind speed and direction—
tures can increases energy demand, which ground-level ozone emissions will be
generally causes higher levels of air pollu- higher in sunnier and hotter weather.
tion and greenhouse gas emissions. Cur-
rently, most electricity in the United States is
3.3 Human Health and Comfort
produced from combusting fossil fuel. Thus, Increased daytime surface temperatures,
pollutants from most power plants include reduced nighttime cooling, and higher
sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), air pollution levels associated with urban
particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide heat islands can affect human health by
(CO), and mercury (Hg). These pollutants contributing to general discomfort, respira-
are harmful to human health and contrib- tory difficulties, heat cramps and exhaus-
ute to complex air quality problems such as tion, non-fatal heat stroke, and heat-related
acid rain. Further, fossil-fuel-powered plants mortality.
emit greenhouse gases, particularly carbon
dioxide (CO2), which contribute to global Urban heat islands can also exacerbate the
climate change. impact of heat waves, which are periods of
abnormally hot, and often humid, weather.
In addition to increases in air emissions, Sensitive populations, such as children,
elevated air temperatures increase the rate older adults, and those with existing health
of ground-level ozone formation, which conditions, are at particular risk from these
is produced when NOx and volatile or- events. For example, in 1995, a mid-July
ganic compounds (VOCs) react in the heat wave in the Midwest caused more
presence of sunlight. If all other variables than 1,000 deaths.15 While it is rare for a
Social isolation and physical health also contribute to one’s vulnerability. Elderly
people, especially, may not have family or friends nearby, may not report to work
regularly, and may lack neighbors who can check on them, leaving them stranded
during extreme heat events. The elderly may also fail to hear news or other warnings
of impending heat waves and recommendations on how to cope. Finally, their bod-
ies may be less able to handle heat stress.
The lack of nighttime relief in air temperatures is strongly correlated with increased
mortality during heat waves. Some studies suggest that these oppressive nighttime
temperatures may be more significant than high maximum daytime temperatures.17
For more information on heat-related health incidents and ways to respond, see the EPA
Excessive Heat Events Guidebook <www.epa.gov/hiri/about/pdf/EHEguide_final.pdf>
heat wave to be so destructive, heat-related hotter than runoff from a nearby rural
mortality is not uncommon. The Centers for area on summer days when pavement
Disease Control estimates that from 1979 to temperatures at midday were 20-35°F
1999, excessive heat exposure contributed (11-19°C) above air temperature. When
to more than 8,000 premature deaths in the rain came before the pavement had
the United States.18 This figure exceeds the a chance to heat up, runoff temperatures
number of mortalities resulting from hur- from the rural and urban areas differed by
ricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and less than 4°F (2°C).19 This heated storm-
earthquakes combined. water generally drains into storm sewers
(see Figure 5) and raises water tempera-
3.4 Water Quality tures as it is released into streams, rivers,
Surface urban heat islands degrade water ponds, and lakes. A study in Arlington,
quality, mainly by thermal pollution. Pave- Virginia, recorded temperature increases
ment and rooftop surfaces that reach tem- in surface waters as high as 8ºF (4°C) in
peratures 50 to 90°F (27 to 50°C) higher 40 minutes after heavy summer rains.20
than air temperatures transfer this excess
heat to stormwater. Field measurements Water temperature affects all aspects of
from one study showed that runoff from aquatic life, especially the metabolism
urban areas was about 20-30°F (11-17°C) and reproduction of many aquatic spe-
cies. Rapid temperature changes in aquatic